Simple tune-up of diet and exercise can help restore vigor

A 45-year-old software engineer visited me recently complaining of fatigue. "I'm so tired," he said. "I must be getting old."

It is hard to argue with his premise: Yes, we are all aging. But at 45, or even 65, we don't need to accept low energy as a fact of life.

Fatigue is a common issue for people of all ages, and most often it is unrelated to a specific disease or diagnosis. Instead, it can be a byproduct of lifestyle choices or subtle imbalances detectable by specialized testing.

I told my patient that I wanted to try some natural strategies to help tackle his fatigue, focusing on four basic areas for change. After two months of working together, he reported that his energy and vitality had improved dramatically.

We started by looking at his eating habits. A key element to steady energy levels is stable blood sugar. For lunch, my patient was usually eating spaghetti with marinara sauce or cheese pizza - meals comprised mostly of carbohydrates. Two hours later he would feel tired, drink coffee, and then experience another energy crash a few hours later.

I advised a shift to meals full of protein, fiber and good fats, such as a lunch of salad (fiber) with avocado or olive oil (good fats) and a protein source, like tofu, poultry or fish. This strategy helped balance his blood sugar level and eliminated his dramatic highs and lows.

Next, we looked for opportunities for him to be physically active during the day. Exercise is vital for energy and overall health. Studies show that moving regularly throughout the day is as important as making periodic trips to the gym.

But how could he be active with a full-time job? By buying a pedometer and trying to get 10,000 steps in per day, or by using gadgets such as a Jawbone or FuelBand to track his progress. He could try standing while on the phone or during a long meeting. He could take short walking breaks every hour, get a standing desk, or take the stairs whenever possible.

Seek opportunities to move more, and you'll find them.

We also looked at my patient's sleep patterns, aiming for a consistent seven to eight hours every night. For sustained energy during the day, it's important to feel well rested after waking up. This means reserving the bedroom for sleep and sex, turning off the TV and computers at least one hour before going to bed, and making the room slightly cool and as dark as possible at bedtime.

Other ways to improve energy are by reducing intake of stimulants such as caffeine and practicing stress-reduction or relaxation techniques. Some exposure to sunlight during the day, even through a window, can improve one's sleep by helping the body to regulate day/night cycles better.

Finally, if low energy is still an issue after daily and nightly routines have been tweaked, testing should be considered. I practice functional medicine, which involves using specialized lab testing to evaluate and optimize the function of different organ systems. Conventional lab tests are helpful but may not detect imbalances that can cause fatigue.

In the case of my patient, testing revealed that he had certain food sensitivities, hormone imbalances and mineral deficiencies. Even though he did not have a specific disease, modifying the software engineer's diet and using nutritional supplements to address these imbalances greatly improved his energy, sleep and mental clarity. He even reported that his libido was better.

Yes, we are all getting older, but don't blame age for fatigue. You may just need a tune-up to feel healthier and more energetic than ever.